1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to tools for molding articles, more particularly to tools that incorporate cooling into the forming of the article.
2. Background Art
The prior art provides various tools for forming articles, by various forming processes, such as injection molding, blow molding, reaction injection molding, die casting, stamping and the like. These tools often utilize a first mold half and a second mold half, each having opposing forming surfaces for collectively forming an article therebetween. The mold halves are often formed separately, and one half translates relative to the other for closing, forming the article, opening, removing the article and repeating these steps.
Often, mold halves are each formed from a solid block of material that is capable of withstanding the stresses, pressures, impacts and other fatigue associated with the associated forming processes. Various forming processes involve heating the material of the article in order to mold the article to the forming surfaces of the mold halves. Often times, one or more of the mold halves are cooled in order to enhance the rate of solidification of the material of the article and to reduce the cycle time of the molding process. A mold half is often cooled by fluid that is conveyed through a fluid line in the mold half. Fluid lines are often provided within molds or mold halves by drilling a fluid line through the solid mold block.